Moon Landrieu

Maurice Edwin "Moon" Landrieu (23 July 1930-) was the US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 24 September 1979 to 20 January 1981, succeeding Patricia Harris and preceding Samuel Pierce, and formerly Mayor of New Orleans (D) from 4 May 1970 to 1 May 1978, succeeding Victor H. Schiro and preceding Ernest Nathan Morial.

Biography
Maurice Edwin Landrieu was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1930; his family was not of Louisiana Creole descent, but he was instead patrilineally descended from 1848 immigrants from France, while his mother's family, the Bechtel family, originated in Germany. He graduated from Louisiana State University in 1952 with a business degree, and he was elected to the State House of Representatives in 1960. He resisted segregationist "hate bills" and supported desegregation, and he supported the removal of the Confederate flag from the New Orleans City Council after being elected in 1966. In 1970, he was elected Mayor of New Orleans, winning 90% of the black vote and 39% of the white vote. He desegregated city governemnt and public facilities, and 43% of city employees were black by 1978. Landrieu improved the economy with the construction of the Superdome and the Piazza d'Italia, and he renovated Jackson Square and the French Market. Landrieu left office in 1978, and he served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development until 1981. His son Mitch Landrieu would become Mayor of New Orleans in 2010, the first white mayor of New Orleans since his father's leaving of office in 1978.